| Lyna Mohamad |
HIS Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik, Chairman of the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah (YSHHB) Committee of Governors presented Braille writing devices to 42 students in a ceremony at the Arts and Handicrafts Training Centre in Bandar Seri Begawan yesterday.
Upon arrival, His Royal Highness was greeted by Minister of Religious Affairs and a member of the YSHHB Committee of Governors Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, Minister of Defence II and Chairman of the YSHHB Board of Directors Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof and Managing Director of YSHHB Dato Paduka Eddie bin Dato Paduka Haji Sunny.
The ceremony began with the recitation of verses from Al-Quran by Mohd Khairulzaman bin Haji Mohd Salleh, a visual sensory student at the Institut Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.
Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi, in his welcoming remarks, said that His Royal Highness’ presence demonstrated a deep concern and sensitivity for the efforts made by YSHHB in attending to the welfare and wellbeing of the special needs community in Brunei Darussalam.
He also expressed the hope that the Braille equipment contributed by YSHHB would further advance the students’ potential as successful and independent individuals who are capable of contributing actively to society and towards the success of Brunei Vision 2035.
His Royal Highness then presented Perkins Brailler writing devices to 20 primary and secondary school students, as well as 22 students attending religious schools and religious educational institutions.
These students were identified by their respective schools as requiring Braille for study aids in both at school and at home.
Apart from the writing devices, two Braille embossers were presented to the Special Education Unit at the Ministry of Education and the Special Education Section at the Department of Islamic Studies, Ministry of Religious Affairs.
The embossers will be used to print study materials such as notes, exercises, test and examination papers for visual sensory students.
A Doa Selamat was recited by Pehin Orang Kaya Paduka Setia Raja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Haji Awang Suhaili bin Haji Mohiddin.
His Royal Highness toured an exhibition showcasing the continuing efforts to assist visual sensory students by the Special Education Unit, the Special Education Section, the Community Development Department (JAPEM) at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and Brunei Darussalam National Association of the Blind (BDNAB).
The ceremony concluded with His Royal Highness consenting to a group photo with the recipients and conversing with their parents.